With college in the rearview mirror, Precious Adeniyi (B.A., Corporate Communications ‘22) says she’s excited for this new chapter in her life. During her time on the Forty Acres, she was actively involved in campus life and was a dedicated student worker in the DDCE’s Office of the Vice President.

How does it feel to be a Texas Ex?

I’m super excited, but it feels weird to not be a student anymore. It’s dawned on me multiple times that I’m officially an adult now. It’s a rude awakening, but also exciting because I’m looking forward to this new season of my life. I really enjoyed my time at UT and have a lot of memories that I can treasure for a long time, but I’m ready to move to the next stage.

What are some of your favorite UT memories?

A lot of my fond memories are tied to the Haven Student Fellowship because most of my friends came from there. I joined during the first week of my freshman year and really immersed myself in leadership roles throughout college. I loved being at the concerts that we put together or even the little get-togethers we held at our apartment. Those are special times, and I’m going to miss them a lot.

Could you please share a bit about your experiences as a first-generation college student?

Not only am I a first-generation student, but I’m also a first-generation Nigerian student. I grew up in a household where you have no choice but to be successful, and you have to do everything in your power to make that happen. My mom is a single mom. My dad passed away when I was two, so she brought four kids to America on her own. She didn’t go back to school because she was busy raising four little kids, so she worked whatever job she could find and managed to raise four kids on a very low income. I always knew that my mom has sacrificed a lot, so the least I can do is take my education and future seriously so I can relieve her of some of that stress.

What has been your mom’s reaction to all your accomplishments?

On my last official last day living under her roof, she called me into her room, and she was almost crying. She told me that every prayer and every wish that she had for me had come to pass and she was so proud of me. I had to hold it in because if I cried, she would cry even more. What she told me meant the world because it meant the three-and-a-half years of hard work were all worth it.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself during freshman year?

I would say, don’t worry. I didn’t get into McCombs Business School, so during my freshman year I wasn’t willing to give Moody College of Communication a chance. It wasn’t God’s will, and he communicated that to me in so many ways, but I was so intent on switching schools that I had to nearly fail a class to realize that this was not happening. I knew I wanted a high-paying job when I graduated, and I felt like the only way to do that was to be in McCombs. The theme all freshman year, and honestly all my life, has been to just trust God and what he’s telling you. I actually stayed in Moody, loved every class and I learned a lot.  At the end of the day, with my Moody degree, I was able to secure three job offers from top consulting companies.

What’s next after graduation?

My major goal was to get an entry-level consulting job right out of college—so that’s what I did. I’m working at International Business Machines (IBM) as a consultant in Human Resources (HR). I’m excited because HR has always been interesting to me. My lifetime goal is to build my business on the side. I do event décor, like balloon garlands, and want to create an event center in Dallas and hopefully expand to Houston, Austin, San Antonio, etc.